We arrive in the money time to award the title of MotoGP world champion. Two races from the end, the Italian Francesco Bagnaia took the lead in the general classification after the race in Australia last Sunday. His 3rd place combined with the retirement of Fabio Quartararo allows him to have a 14 length lead over his French rival. An incredible comeback since the Ducati rider was 90 points behind the Niçois last June…
But due to the weakness of his Yamaha, especially the engine, and a few crashes, his lead was shrunk race after race. Before the last race in Australia, he only had a two short lead. In one week, Fabio Quartararo therefore went from the skin of the hunted to the hunter. Knowing that each victory grants 25 points, the reigning world champion can catch up.
“It’s not that big a gap,” Spaniard Marc Marquez, six-time MotoGP world champion (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) told him in the mixed zone after the race in Australia. “No, no, no, I need to work very hard,” Quartararo replied. This Thursday morning, the French driver spoke about his state of mind during the press conference prior to the Malaysian GP which will take place on Sunday morning (9am, French time, Canal+). “I didn’t really like my last race. Now I’m in a position where I don’t need to think about anything. I will exceed my limits! I now have to adopt a different mentality. I like racing. I will do this race with a different mindset. »
Faced with the much faster Ducati, the Yamaha rider will not start as the favorite. But, he will defend his chances until the end to keep his world crown. The title should be played between Bagnaia (233 points), Quartararo (219 points) and Aleix Espargero (206 points) even if Bastianini (191 points) is not yet officially out of the race. If Bagnaia’s lead at the end of the Malaysian GP is 25 points or more, he will be crowned world champion for the first time. Otherwise, the epilogue will take place during the last meeting of the season at the GP de Valence on Sunday November 6 (2 p.m., Canal+).